Authors: Nutt.  

Botanical Description

ex Torr. & Gray. Tufted from a woody base, rather grass-like when not in bloom. Leaves almost flliform, 3-6cm long, densely clustered at the base. Flowering stems 15-25cm tall, erect, with a few leaves. Flowers about 6mm across, white, many in terminal head-like clusters, summer. California to Washington State and Montana, on dry rocky slopes often in sagebrush scrub or in pine forest at 1200-2000m. A variable species in the width and texture of its leaves and the density of flower clusters. E.g. A.c. var. crassula has fleshy leaves to 2mm wide. Var. suffrutescens is somewhat subshrubby with age and has looser semi-umbellate heads.